Festival Season Arrives in Chicago

The warm weather has finally arrived in Chicago after a brutal winter and a debatable “spring,” so once Memorial Day weekend hits so do the festivals all over the city. From the massive, well-known events to the smaller neighborhood favorites, there’s certainly a festival this season to suit your fancy.

Printers’ Row Lit Fest, June 4-5: Book lovers will appreciate the Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Lit Fest featuring panel discussions and signings by an array of authors. On Saturday night, the free Lit After Dark party has live outdoor music, storytelling and poetry slams.

Andersonville Midsommarfest, June 11-12: One of the Chicago’s most beloved neighborhood street fairs, the Andersonville Midsommarfest takes place along Clark Street and celebrates the village’s Swedish heritage. The weekend includes international food, family activities, live entertainment on four stages, and more than 100 merchants selling artwork, jewelry and other crafts.

The Taste of Chicago, held June 24 - July 3: Billed as the largest food festival in the world and certainly the largest festival in Chicago, the Taste in Grant Park showcases some of the city’s best restaurants as well as a variety of music acts. Entry is free and a strip of 12 tickets will run you $8. Most of the “taste” portions in each booth are $2 or less.

SummerDance, held July 7 - Sept. 18: Embrace your inner dancing queen at SummerDance in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park. The largest annual outdoor dance festival in the United States spans 11 weeks with events Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings as well as Sunday afternoons. A one-hour introductory dance lesson is followed by two hours of live music and dancing on a 4,900 square-foot, open-air dance floor.

Lollapalooza, held Aug. 5-7: The annual music festival held in Grant Park is celebrating 20 years this summer and headliners include big-name acts including Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay and Muse. A three-day pass costs $215 and kids 10 and younger get in free with a ticket-holding adult.

Windy City Wine Festival, Sept. 9-10: Sample more than 270 wines from around the world with a backdrop of beautiful Buckingham Fountain. Advance tickets are $27 ($35 at the door) and include 10 tastings and a souvenir glass. Wine seminars, cooking demos and live music are all on offer at this event that takes places rain or shine.